scholarly journals Gott vor dem Sein. Ansätze einer „Proontologie“ bei Johannes von Skythopolis, Maximus Confessor und Meister Eckhart

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Muller
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Divine Nature ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
Christian Thought ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius

The present article focuses on the idea that divine nature is prior to being. This idea was first articulated in John of Scythopolis’s commentary on Pseudo-Dionysius. It was adopted by Maximus Confessor and re-used in Meister Eckhart’s first Quaestio Parisiensis. The main tenant of this idea is that, if God is the origin of being, he must be more fundamental than being. Thus, being cannot be identical to divine nature. The conclusion that can be drawn from the discussion of this idea is that the importance that has been traditionally attached to the „Exodusmetaphysik“ must be reconsidered, and that the pre-ontological conception of divine nature consistutes an autonomous tradition in Christian thought.

Christianity’s Content: (Neo)Platonism in the Middle Ages, Its Theoretical and Theological Appeal

Numen ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 245-270
Author(s):  
Willemien Otten
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Thomas Aquinas ◽  
The Other ◽  
Late Medieval ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
Marguerite Porete ◽  
Christian Thought ◽  
Book Of Genesis ◽  
The One ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius

The development of medieval Christian thought reveals from its inception in foundational authors like Augustine and Boethius an inherent engagement with Neoplatonism. To their influence that of Pseudo-Dionysius was soon added, as the first speculative medieval author, the Carolingian thinker Johannes Scottus Eriugena (810–877ce), used all three seminal authors in his magisterial demonstration of the workings of procession and return. Rather than a stable ongoing trajectory, however, the development of medieval Christian (Neo)Platonism saw moments of flourishing alternate with moments of philosophical stagnation. The revival of theTimaeusand Platonic cosmogony in the twelfth century marks the achievement of the so-called Chartrian authors, even as theTimaeusnever acquired the authority of the biblical book of Genesis. Despite the dominance of scholastic and Aristotelian discourse in the thirteenth century, (Neo)Platonism continued to play an enduring role. The Franciscan Bonaventure follows the Victorine tradition in combining Augustinian and Dionysian themes, but Platonic influence underlies the pattern of procession and return — reflective of the Christian arc of creation and salvation — that frames the thought of Thomas Aquinas. Echoing the interrelation of macro- and microcosmos, the major themes of medieval Christian Platonic thought are, on the one hand, cosmos and creation and, on the other, soul and self. The Dominican friar Meister Eckhart and the beguine Marguerite Porete, finally, both Platonically inspired late-medieval Christian authors keen on accomplishing the return, whether the aim is to bring out its deep, abyss-like “ground” (Eckhart) or to give up reason altogether and surrender to the free state of “living without a why” (Marguerite), reveal the intellectual audacity involved in upending traditional theological modes of discourse.

New Evidence of the Controversy About Whether the Humanity of Christ Can Contemplate His Divinity

2019 ◽  
pp. 250-264
Author(s):  
Максим Глебович Калинин
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Positive Answer ◽  
Divine Nature ◽  
Knowledge Of God ◽  
Church Of The East ◽  
Vision Of God ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
The Church

В статье опубликован фрагмент анонимного комментария на «Главы о ведении» раббана Афнимарана, восточносирийского мистика VII века. Этот фрагмент представляет большой интерес, поскольку содержит новые сведения о богословской полемике, развернувшейся в Церкви Востока в VIII в. Эта полемика, сопоставимая по масштабам и значимости с паламитскими спорами в Византии, касалась проблемы границ богопознания и прежде всего вопроса о том, способна ли человеческая природа Христа созерцать Его божественную природу. Сведений об этой полемике сохранилось относительно мало, что делает новое публикуемое свидетельство особенно ценным. После краткой характеристики «Глав о ведении» раббана Афнимарана в статье предлагается перевод комментария на главу 90 и анализ этого текста. Особое внимание уделяется термину yaddūʕtānā, «знающий», который раббан Афнимаран использует применительно к человеческой природе Христа. Комментарий на главу 90 - важное свидетельство того, что тезис о способности человеческой природы Христа созерцать Его Божество был характерным для восточносирийского мистического движения (или, по крайней мере, для одной из монашеских традиций внутри этого движения). The aim of the present paper is to introduce new data concerning the polemic that took place in the VIII century C.E. and was related to the mystical movement in the Church of the East. This data are provided by an anonymous commentary on «Chapters on the Knowledge» which belong to rabban Aphnīmāran, an 7th century mystical writer. Among the problems the aforementioned polemic was related to, was the question on whether the humanity of Christ can see His divinity. For the positive answer on this question, John of Dalyāthā, a prominent mystical writer of the 8th century, was condemned by Catholicos Timatheos. In the commentary on the 90th chapter of rabban Aphnīmāran, an anonymous interpreter claims that the vision of God is the knowledge of God. As rabban Aphnīmāran calls the human nature of Christ «knowing» (yaddūʕtānā), the humanity of Christ inevitably knows His divinity, the author of the commentary concludes. In the present article, the text of this commentary is published and analyzed. One may see that the thesis on Jesus’ ability to contemplate the divine nature was not a particular opinion of John of Dalyāthā. This opinion was representative of East Syriac mystical movement (or at least of one of monastic traditions within this movement).

Postmodern theology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merold Westphal
Keyword(s):  
Literary Theory ◽  
Negative Theology ◽  
Death Of God ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
Postmodern Theology ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
Postmodern Philosophy ◽  
Absolute Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Claims ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius

The term ‘postmodernism’ is loosely used to designate a wide variety of cultural phenomena from architecture through literature and literary theory to philosophy. The immediate background of philosophical postmodernism is the French structuralism of Saussure, Lévi-Strauss, Lacan and Barthes. But like existentialism, it has roots that go back to the critique by Kierkegaard and Nietzsche of certain strong knowledge claims in the work of Plato, Descartes and Hegel. If the quest for absolute knowledge is the quest for meanings that are completely clear and for truths that are completely certain, and philosophy takes this quest as its essential goal, then postmodernism replaces Nietzsche’s announcement of the death of God with an announcement of the end of philosophy. This need not be construed as the death of God in a different vocabulary. The question of postmodern theology is the question of the nature of a discourse about deity that would not be tied to the metaphysical assumptions postmodern philosophy finds untenable. One candidate is the negative theology tradition of Pseudo-Dionysius and Meister Eckhart. It combines a vigorous denial of absolute knowledge with a theological import that goes beyond the critical negations of postmodern philosophy. A second possibility, the a/theology of Mark C. Taylor, seeks to find religious meaning beyond the simple opposition of theism and atheism, but without taking the mystical turn. Finally, Jean-Luc Marion seeks to free theological discourse from the horizon of all philosophical theories of being, including Heidegger’s own postmodern analysis of being.

Kingdom and Polity in Eusebius of Caesarea

1952 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Edward Cranz
Keyword(s):  
Roman Empire ◽  
New World ◽  
Human Society ◽  
City Of God ◽  
Christian Thought ◽  
General Answer ◽  
The City ◽  
Eusebius Of Caesarea ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius ◽  
Christian Society

Eusebius of Caesarea occupies a unique position in ancient Christian thought. His central problem is to explain and justify a Christian society which is to transform the Roman Empire and which will become the new world civilization supplanting Hellenism and Judaism. Earlier thinkers do not face this problem. The Roman Empire is for them one of the powers ordained of God, but it is pagan and they expect it to remain so. Consequently the question of human government is only peripheral to their thought. Nor do later thinkers see the problem quite as Eusebius does. In the East, for example in Pseudo-Dionysius and John of Damascus, the question of human government again becomes peripheral to Christian thought, and Eusebius has no successor as a “political theologian.” In the West, Augustine gives a general answer to the problem of a Christian society in a Christianized Empire, but his solution contradicts that of Eusebius. To Augustine, the structure of the Christian Roman Empire is still that of Babylon, and human society is still a mixture of two opposed cities, the earthly city and the city of God.

The Contribution of Professor Howison to Christian Thought

1916 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-312
Author(s):  
John Wright Buckham
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Previous Article ◽  
Christian Thought

In a previous article in The Harvard Theological Review the writer presented an estimate of the contribution of Professor Royce to Christian thought. In the present article he endeavors to do the same with respect to another American philosopher of great significance to Christian theology, George Holmes Howison.

The Judgement on Athanasius in the Historiography of Christian Dogma (Mosheim—Baur—Harnack)

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 277-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eginhard Meijering
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Internal Dynamics ◽  
Christian Thought ◽  
The Trinity

The present article studies the attitude of three prominent historiographers of Christian dogma towards Athanasius, viz., Johann Lorenz von Mosheim (1693–1755), Ferdinand Christian Baur (1792–1860), and Adolf von Harnack (1851–1930). Their different theological backgrounds resulted in different judgements on his expositions on the Trinity. Mosheim’s evaluation of Athanasius is positive, but he thinks Athanasius speculates too much about the mystery of the Trinity, which cannot be understood by reason. Baur considers his theology to reflect a crucial moment within the development of Christian thought, a moment that shows the internal dynamics of this development. Harnack is of the opinion that Christians owe it to Athanasius that Christian faith did not end up as moralism and cosmology. He also thinks that in Athanasius’views on Christ we can hardly find anything of the Jesus of the gospels.

Theological Epistemology and Apophasis

2020 ◽  
pp. 368-387
Author(s):  
Cyril O'Regan
Keyword(s):  
Peak Experiences ◽  
Close Attention ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
Mystical Theology ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius

This chapter examines the epistemology of mystical theology. It begins with the ‘intellectualist’ line of thinking from Pseudo-Dionysius to Meister Eckhart, paying close attention both to the ‘protocols’ which are required to speak of God both as the ground of our language, beyond naming, and as one who can really be experienced. These epistemological protocols can also be identified in Augustine, and later in the more ‘affective’ line of mystical theology from Bernard of Clairvaux to Bonaventure, though in a rather different form. This renders mystical theology quite different from a quest for Jamesian ‘peak’ experiences and knowledge of them; rather, it entails disciplines of formation, involving regimes of discourse and practice, to learn a language and a subjectivity enabling a more intense relation with God.

An essay in speculative mysticism

1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-484
Author(s):  
Herman F. Šuligoj
Keyword(s):  
Transpersonal Psychology ◽  
Altered States Of Consciousness ◽  
German Romanticism ◽  
Altered States ◽  
Ken Wilber ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Background Data ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Pseudo Dionysius

I entitled the paper ‘An Essay in Speculative Mysticism’ because it undertakes, in the tradition of such ancient and mediaeval mystics as Plotinus, Pseudo-Dionysius, Hugh and Richard of St Victor, Nicholas of Cusa, Ruysbroeck, and Meister Eckhart, to mate psychological introspection with ontological speculation, focusing on the rather fundamental themes of Identity, Alterity, Transcendant Identity, and Illusion. I acknowledge my more recent, general indebtment to the rich reservoir of contemporary research in the area of Transpersonal Psychology, a research amply documented in the journal of Transpersonal Psychology, as well as in the bibliographies, most notably provided among others, in the respective works of Charles Tart, John White, and Ken Wilber. Since Transpersonal Psychology embraces within its attempts at controlled studies such sundries as altered states of consciousness, parapsychological phenomena, yoga, as well as doctrines which skirt the very frontiers of psychology's experimental ingenuity, namely the tenets of G. I. Gurdjieff, P. D. Ouspensky, H. P. Blavatsky, Oscar Icazo, John Lilly, Roberto Assagioli, and many others, the rapport between a speculative study in mysticism and the background data supplied by Transpersonal Psychology becomes readily apparent. Furthermore, I accede to any reader's deft detection in my essay of a rather uncommon medley of remnants from Thomism, German Romanticism, British Neo-Hegelianism, Vitalism, and Structuralism. If, at last, I were to be questioned on the methodology of my paper, I would have to respond that it probably resembles most closely the methodology of two French Reflective thinkers, viz., Jean Nabert and Henry Duméry, and the French existential metaphysician, Jean Wahl. Since I owe so much to so many, I simply acknowledge my general indebtedness at the beginning and allow the essay to emerge with its own internal cogency. The paper's rationale should, therefore, emanate from a clear inner coherence of its ideas as these reflect communicable psychological experience and unfold some of the latter's ontological implications.

Meister Eckhart's Conception of Union with God

1978 ◽  
Vol 71 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 203-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kieckhefer
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Religious Experience ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Precise Nature ◽  
Cloud Of Unknowing ◽  
Meister Eckhart ◽  
Mystical Tradition ◽  
Union With God

Although Meister Eckhart himself might have been puzzled by the term, he is traditionally known as a mystic. The designation surely does apply, in the sense that Eckhart sought and recommended a kind of union between the soul and God. But as soon as one proceeds to analyze the precise nature of that union, difficulties abound. In recent literature it has become clear that the Christian mystical tradition has employed various distinct concepts of union with God, and scholars have inquired what sort of union one or another mystic sought. This effort has been made, for example, in studies of John Tauler andThe Cloud of Unknowing. In examining these and other mystics, particularly those of the Western medieval tradition, scholars have asked whether they viewed union with God as a momentary experience or as an ongoing way of life, and whether they saw this union as continuous and compatible with ordinary religious experience and knowledge or as discontinuous and incompatible. The present article will attempt to answer such questions in regard to Meister Eckhart, in hopes of clarifying an aspect of his thought which, though fundamental, is most commonly approached only tangentially in the literature.

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